Serbia shoots down drone on border with Kosovo

BELGRADE, Serbia

Serbia neutralized a commercial drone Wednesday on the Kosovo border, according to the Defense Ministry.

The agency said the drone was shot down near military facilities in the Raska garrison by applying electronic jamming measures.

''The Serbian Armed Forces are taking increased measures to detect, track and neutralize unmanned aerial vehicles near military facilities,'' it said in a statement.

The statement said the army was acting in line with orders from President Aleksandar Vucic.

''The Serbian Armed Forces will continue, in accordance with the order of the President of the Republic and the Commander-in-Chief, to shoot down all drones found in the no-fly zone and in the vicinity of military facilities,'' it said.

Vucic issued orders to the military Tuesday to destroy any enemy drones in the country’s airspace after unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were spotted above military bases bordering Kosovo.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic confirmed that drones had been spotted filming military bases.

Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said earlier that the armed forces are on alert as tensions escalate with neighboring Kosovo about the issue of car license plates.

Kosovo has tried many times this year to make its Serb minority renew their license plates which date before 1999 when Kosovo was part of Serbia. The move has resulted in violent clashes between police and Serbs.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008 but Serbia continues to see Kosovo as its territory.